Local artist Ronny Bailey came by our office yesterday and showed off his latest gem. Everybody had to stop work and go take a peek at portrayal of 113 Petronia Street that got shrunk to table top size.

You have to see Ronny's work in person. You cannot resist getting up close and personal with his art. You will be awed!

I wrote about Ronny before. CLICK HERE. He grew up in Key West and was a carpenter for 30 years. Recreation of Old Town Key West homes in miniature sizes is now his passion. He beams with pride as he talks about his work. This is a man in love with his life and his work. And his work is a testament to his love of the place that he has called home. He loves the Key West of yore and recreates houses the way they looked before the gentrification and HARCifornication.

Ronny told me he had discussed creating a piece about 113 Petronia Street with its owner. The owner had some of the original wood used in building the house and gave it to Ronny. Ronny cut, sawed, and carved the wood and created the incredible shrunk.

113 Petronia Street as it appeared in 1965

Ronny will be one of many artists showing their creations at The 25Th Annual Key West Craft Show January 30 to January 31 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Juried artisans and crafters display their talents at a popular show on lower Whitehead and Caroline Streets in historic Old Town.

Visit Ronny's website if you are not in town. CLICK HERE. But if you are here, stop by and see the Incredible Shrunk.

If you are looking for a life size house, please call me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642. I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. I sell real houses. They sometimes cost a lot of money. But you can really live in them. CLICK HERE to search the Key West mls. If you see a place you like, please call me. Thanks.

Gary Thomas in a Nutshell

I first read about Key West in a magazine called "After Dark" sometime in the mid 1970's. But it wasn't until March 1984 that I made my first visit to the island that would become my home.
I had two weeks for a vacation and reserved a room at Colours Guesthouse (now Marrero's Guest House) for one week. I thought that if I didn't like Key West, I could always go back to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale for the rest of my trip.
But after a couple of days in Key West, that was no longer a consideration. But when I wanted to extend my stay for the extra week I found there was no room at the inn. The guesthouse owner did find me a room at LaTeDa, the infamous guesthouse/restaurant. That's a story I'll write another day. But those two weeks in Key West gave me the realization that I had found Paradise.
Key West has been my home since 1993 and my only regret is that it took me so long to get here.
I am a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties CRI.
Let me help you find your new home or business in Paradise. Living in Paradise is not a slogan, it's a way of life.